| LEXI MICHAELSON |

"But, Dad! I like him a lot! I can't just let this all go, now..." I motioned with my hands as I explained why I was not at home sleeping peacefully last night.

Needless to say, my father was absolutely angry because not only this was sinful, this was also prohibited in our family. I even argued about this whole family motto thing because we are twenty first century people and these things were as common as a cold.

"You can't do anything, even if you try." Dad sternly replied, looking down at me while his eyes burned with annoyance. "Your grandmother will have your mother and I's head, if this information reach her. Won't you want to save your parents life? Is this... sinful thing really important to you?"

Aha, I knew where my father was going with this. He was blackmailing me. Emotional blackmail. He was trying to persuade me into leaving this 'sinful' thing, according to him.

"I can be very persuasive. I can persuade grandmother, too." I said, a winning smile on my lips. "Unless she wouldn't let me try and..."

"Exactly, Alexandria. Your grandmother wouldn't spare a moment to slaughter your mother and me. After all, we already did what you're trying to do right now, sneaking off-" My father stopped himself when he realised what he had spoken. His eyes widened along with mine and I smiled cockily at him.

"Aha! That's your history! Oh my God, Dad! You two would have looked really cute sneaking off together!" I tried to hug my father as a ghost of smile appeared on his lips.

"Settle down, now." My father cleared his throat. "All I wanted to say is..."

I motioned him to go on.

"Is...?" I said.

"Is... Is that, you can't see this boy anymore. I don't want you to be involved with this boy. You have nothing to do with him. Am I clear?" My father said, sternly.

Here we go again.

I cursed under my breath. "I'll try." I just mumbled and stepped into my bathroom to change and to avoid any more conversation like this.

***

When my first class of the day was over, I headed over to the cafeteria where I saw Vincent sitting along with some of his male friends. I hoped that I'd go unnoticed when I walked towards the canteen and bought an apple juice but my prayers were discarded because I saw one of Vincent's friends pointing towards me, and talking to Vincent. Our eyes met and once I was out of the cafeteria, I heard his voice from behind.

"Lexi. Hey." His sentence was short and simple.

I didn't reply as I kept walking to my favourite class, Business management. On to seeing Blake again. This thought made me feel all giddy inside but it was cut short when Vincent spoke again.

"Are you mad at me for what I did the other day? Come on, you should know that was your reality check. By the way, I'm sorry, if that makes any better. I know sorries don't scrape-" I cut him off.

"Vince, stop. I know that was a reality check but I'm trying to avoid you now. Can't you see it? This whole sorry thing is not gonna work, this works only in books and movies. I'm sure this is not one of them right now. So stop- Ah..." I stopped in my tracks when I realised that Vincent had me cornered to a wall nearby and was towering over me.

"Can you stop me now, eh?" His rough yet fetching voice whispered from just above my nose.

I looked up to see that he was watching me intently with a smirk on his lips. I also noticed that his lips were full and welcoming.

What? No no no no nonononono!

I cannot think about him like that!

Just when I thought he was leaning in to kiss me, before the panic could settle in, he was interrupted by someone telling him to get off of me. And the voice sounded so familiar that I had a strong urge to hug the person who interrupted Vincent.

"Hey, get off or- Vince?!" Blake's voice boomed once he realised it was his own friend.

"Hey, man! I was just... You know it was just..." Vincent chuckled.

But Blake was shooting daggers and sabres at him by just glaring at him. "Let's just go, it's time for class." Blake took my hand and led me forward.

I was literally not a foolish person as I heard him clearly saying, "Stay away from her, I warn you." Behind my back to Vincent.

During class, Blake sat beside me and Vincent was exactly behind me. There was this thick tension in the air because one, Vincent just tried to kiss me a few minutes ago, and two, Madison was not here to neutralise it.

Oh Madison, how much I miss you when you're enjoying your vacations. If only you were here...

However, that was impossible. Madison couldn't just appear out of nowhere to help me this time, I was on my own. It was just me and my actions.

Once the class ended, Blake looked at me, his icy blue and purple eyes captivating me in their own fantasy, which included of both of our lips and pure delicacy. An amusing smile appeared on my lips when I saw that Blake was also smiling at me, gazing at my lips then my eyes; probably weighing the pros and cons of lending his lips on mine right now.

"So, um, Lexi. Would you like to go out with me, sometimes?" Vincent coughed from behind and Blake glared at him. "Yeah?"

"No... Um, I mean... Are you, asking me out?" I tried to sound mocking, but I think I aced it anyway.

"If you think so... Well, we could go to grab coffee or something." He smiled, showing his white teeth.

What is the politest way to say no?

"Um... I don't... I'm not into coffee so much these days, thanks, by the way." I smiled politely at him.

"We could always have lunch together? What do you say?" He persisted.

Blake glared.

I hesitated.

"Um..."

"Or we could-" Vincent was cut off by Blake's harsh voice.

"Dude, she's said no for almost everytime. Why don't you stop trying and get on with someone else?" Blake sounded annoyed and got up immediately, closing his notebook. Then he looked at me. "You coming?"

I nodded eagerly as I closed my notebook and walked alongside Blake.

Vincent nudged my shoulder. "Are you interested in someone else, then?"

"No." That was bold, specially coming from me.

"This doesn't seem like it." He winked.

Blake stopped in his tracks and glared again at Vincent. "Dude! What's your problem? She's with me, alright? Got a problem? Huh?" Blake pushed his shoulder, as he spoke. "She's interested in me. I'm interested in her. Go and screw someone else."

I gasped when I saw Vincent throw a solid punch at Blake's cheek. Blake retreated a few steps, but the fire in his eyes was igniting more and more as the moments passed by. Blake leaped forward to throw a punch at Vincent but he ducked. By and by, the fist fight started between two friends; Blake and Vincent.

I even shouted at them to stop but none of them listened. The crowd started to surround us as both men fought, fought over me. I knew better than to come in between like I did last time they fought. There was no Madison to help me whatsoever. But the crowd parted when they saw a nerdy looking, but cute guy came between the duo, causing the fight to abruptly come to a halt and stopping the men from fight. I recognised him as Odin.

Odin immediately tugged Blake backwards and shouted atop of his lungs for them to stop fighting. "You guys! Stop!" Both of them rejected to listen as they continued.

And then, Odin shouted, "Oh God, Lexi fainted!"

I was very well aware that I didn't faint, in fact I was perfectly fine.

What a clever guy.

***

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Later,
-F. xx